Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Baerum Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Baerum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,605 per month in Bergen vs $2,560 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,923 per month in Bergen vs $3,853 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,240 per month in Bergen vs $5,146 in Baerum, rent included.

Bergen costs about 2% more than Baerum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bergen and Baerum sit above the global median – Bergen by 94%, Baerum by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.78 NOK 240

$25.44 NOK 236

1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 931

$103 NOK 959

-2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.96 NOK 176

$13.54 NOK 126

40.03%

Cappuccino

$5.36 NOK 49.82

$5.07 NOK 47.08

5.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 NOK 29.86

$2.52 NOK 23.37

27.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 NOK 28.14

$2.13 NOK 19.75

42.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.53 NOK 107

$8.96 NOK 83.2

28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$9.87 NOK 91.7

-2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 NOK 24.50

$2.29 NOK 21.27

15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 NOK 31.20

$3.56 NOK 33.07

-5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 NOK 26.92

$3.16 NOK 29.35

-8.23%

Eggs

$5.11 NOK 47.45

$5.03 NOK 46.70

1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 130

$11.44 NOK 106

22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 149

$15.92 NOK 148

0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.05 NOK 261

$31.04 NOK 288

-9.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 34.84

$3.57 NOK 33.14

5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.29

$2.32 NOK 21.51

26.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.56

$3.32 NOK 30.83

8.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 NOK 51.3

$4.19 NOK 38.89

31.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.24

$2.30 NOK 21.33

18.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.73

$2.23 NOK 20.68

24.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.45

$2.85 NOK 26.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 NOK 19.95

$1.82 NOK 16.90

18.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.93 NOK 157

$14.05 NOK 131

20.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 NOK 171

$19.53 NOK 181

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.08

$3.47 NOK 32.22

-3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NOK 39.68

$4.03 NOK 37.45

5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.56 NOK 42.40

$4.13 NOK 38.41

10.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 NOK 748

$73.5 NOK 683

9.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 NOK 143

$9.95 NOK 92.4

54.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 NOK 21.15

$1.44 NOK 13.42

58.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.7 NOK 675

$42.95 NOK 399

69.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.11

$2.13 NOK 19.75

1.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K NOK 325.2K

$27.9K NOK 258.8K

25.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$43.6K NOK 404.7K

$24.6K NOK 228.9K

76.84%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$238 NOK 2,207

$305 NOK 2,829

-21.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.16 NOK 355

$41.01 NOK 381

-6.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 NOK 595

$37.37 NOK 347

71.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 NOK 513

$50.5 NOK 469

9.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.59 NOK 377

$35.85 NOK 333

13.22%

Cinema Ticket

$19.99 NOK 186

$15.44 NOK 143

29.47%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$281 NOK 2,610

$268 NOK 2,488

4.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 120.1K

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

-13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 NOK 841

$105 NOK 977

-13.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 NOK 510

$47.13 NOK 438

16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,034

$99.7 NOK 926

11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,369

$152 NOK 1,410

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 NOK 11.8K

$1,216 NOK 11.3K

4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,263

$908 NOK 8,438

9.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 NOK 18.6K

$2,140 NOK 19.9K

-6.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 NOK 14.6K

$1,613 NOK 15.0K

-2.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,998 NOK 74.3K

$6,036 NOK 56.1K

32.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

$4,455 NOK 41.4K

7.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,646 NOK 43.2K

$5,515 NOK 51.2K

-15.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.38

10.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Baerum: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,275 in Bergen versus $1,216 in Baerum. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Baerum, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Bergen versus $103 in Baerum. Groceries tell a different story – $490 in Bergen vs $473 in Baerum – so Baerum wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bergen vs Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bergen is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,908 per month in Bergen and $3,840 in Baerum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baerum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,605 in Bergen and $2,560 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Baerum. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Baerum, where all-in costs run around $2,560, than in Bergen at $2,605. In Baerum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bergen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Baerum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Baerum. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bergen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.